"As long as you don't leave, I will always protect you." Howard's voice was soft, laden with emotions that Jelia couldn't quite discern.
Looking up at Howard, Jelia whispered, "As long as you don't ask me to leave, I will never disappear."
She wasn't some naive little girl oblivious to the world.
If she were, she wouldn't have survived till now, nor would she be standing in front of Howard, offering a trade of labor for food.
But Howard just smiled and said nothing more.
The shopkeeper had already come out from the storeroom, carrying a package in his hands.
"There are five fabric dresses here. They might not be the latest fashion, but they're certainly beautiful."
Perhaps time had eased the tension, as the middle-aged shopkeeper began to negotiate a price with Howard.
"For all these, thirty silver coins."
He opened the package to show Howard the clothes, ensuring they weren't tricked with damaged goods.
